“Civil service unions are threatening strike action after the government announced a ‘non-negotiable’ new redundancy deal that will reduce pay-outs for compulsory redundancies from a maximum of more than six years to just one year.”

“The government was today (5 July) accused of declaring war on trade unions as ministers moved to cut the redundancy terms of public sector workers and reports emerged of plans to tighten up the law on strike ballots.”

“Earlier this month, the Public and Commercial Services Union challenged the government’s attempts to reduce the level of redundancy pay for civil servants, and won. The case has been hailed as a ‘major victory’, but it may not be the triumph it first appears.”

“S 2(3) of the Superannuation Act 1972 as amended conferred protection in relation to all entitlements in the principal civil service pension scheme (‘PCSPS’) and the civil service compensation scheme (‘CSCS’) referable to length of service and contributions paid, whether they constituted legal entitlements in the full sense or entitlements as a matter of established and declared administrative practice as set out in any relevant scheme under s 1 of the 1972 Act.”

“A union today won its court case to block cost-cutting measures that threaten the level of redundancy pay for civil servants. Lawyers for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) successfully argued that changes made to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme without agreement were unlawful.”